Over the weekend the District of Corozal recorded probably one of the most horrendous crimes to be committed for the year 2014 as a love triangle led to double murder in that rural community.

Both victims were chopped to death early yesterday morning inside their home in the Village of Paraiso. What was left behind can only be descried ad a horrendous scene as both 49 year old Fernando Pineda Rivas and his 21 year old girlfriend Hidey Atherly suffered a bloody death. As investigators continue to put the pieces of the puzzle together, reporter Victor Castillo also went looking for clues. Here’s his report.

Victor Castillo – Reporting

On Sunday the silence that accompanies the break of dawn was shattered by the screams of agony in the peaceful community of Paraiso Village in Corozal as the district witnessed its 8th and 9th murder for the year 2014, just five days after the brutal murder of Mark Massam.

All indications are that 49 year old Fernando Rivas and his 21 year old girlfriend Heidi Atherly suffered the same faith as Massam as they were both chopped to death. Three weeks ago the couple moved into this house which lies in the middle of a farm located in the outskirts of the village.

Neighbors say they were a happy couple but that happiness was stolen on Sunday morning when an unwanted and ruthless visitor apparently broke into the couple’s home with machete in hand.

Evidence of what happened inside the home can be described as nothing less than horrendous as blood was everywhere and even a severed female finger believed to belong to Atherly was found inside. Clemente Barrera was the first one to arrive at the scene after hearing the awful screams.

“The Corozal police can confirm that there was a homicide yesterday in the village of Paraiso sometime about 7:15, the 14th of December, Corozal police acted upon information and visited a farm which is located about a quarter miles out of Paraiso village where in the farm land they found the body of two individuals; a female who was located by some plantain trees and that of a male inside a house, the identity of the female is unknown at this point in time had not been yet confirm however the victim or the male has been identified as Fernando Pineda Rivas, he is a 49 year old Salvadorian cane farmer of the said village and they had severe chopped wounds on the upper part of their body especially in the neck area, both of the and also on their fingers and hands were severely chopped, Corozal police conduct his fifth investigation and so far we have a person of interest who we believe can assist in this investigation at this point in time we will not release his name until at the end of the investigation there is any charge that we will be preferring against that individual.”

Reporter

“Has police establish a motive?”

Andrew Ramirez- OC Corozal

“At this point in time the investigation is showing a jealousy is a contributing factor in relation to the death because of the information that we have I our possession at this point in time.”

Reporter

“Has the murder weapon being recovered?”

Andrew Ramirez- OC Corozal

“We believe, what we have in our possession is a machete with what we suspect to be blood stains however we cannot confirm if that is indeed the murder weapon.”

It is believed that Atherly somehow managed to escape from her attacker. But she never did manage to get help as she collapsed on this spot and bleed to death. Both victims were nearly decapitated.

According to Emir Lizarraga, Atherly’s cousin, she was living with an elderly man only known to them as Antonio for over a month. Three weeks ago, after being in an abusive relationship she decided to leave Antonio and moved in with Rivas.

Emir Lizarraga. – Cousin

“Almost like a month and a half.”

Reporter

“And then she moved up?”

Emir Lizarraga. – Cousin

“She didn’t move out because one Mr. Fernando went to live over that side and so Fernando only used to pass in front here and we wanted to know what was wrong and then I ask Heidy what is going on, if she wanted to be here of if she wanted to be with the other guy and so she answered me vexed that she will not wait for nobody but Antonio and so I told her if it is him then close the windows but then my mother wasn’t here she went to Cayo and when she came back and well she said that Heydi is not here and I got surprised because we heard that she went to Belize to see her teacher that she had at the Freedom House and so that was my thing but then we heard that she was at Mr. Fernando’s house and she stayed there for about three weeks when this thing happened.”

Reporter

“What do you understand or what have you been told?”

Emir Lizarraga. – Cousin

“Yesterday I was at church and when I came back the next day I saw the police vehicles and I wondered what was happening and it was until I went to the shop that I got the news and it impacted me because I didn’t knew what was happening.”

“Victor Castillo – Reporter

“When was the last time you spoke to your cousin?”

Emir Lizarraga. – Cousin

“I think it was Friday at the park me and my wife went to take a walk, I certainly haled her.”

While Athelry’s family believes that her estranged common-law husband committed the atrocious crime since he had threatened to kill the couple who reported the matter to police, police is not confirming that report.

Emir Lizarraga. –Cousin

“Before this incident happened, she already gone to the police station, Mr. Fernando and Heydi and she told us that Mr. Antonio had already gone to her house and threatened them that he was going to killed them and that he was going to chopped them and so we believe that they gone a reported because if something happened to us you done know who is responsible and what they are saying is that Antonio got jealous and got obsessed with the girl and I think what is the main reason why he did that.”

Victor Castillo – Reporter

“You mentioned that you have one person detained pending investigation, we were made to understand that the female had a past relationship with another gentleman who probably could be one of the main suspects, can you confirm that this person detained is the deceased ex-husband?”

Andrew Ramirez- OC Corozal

“I cannot confirm that information but we have similar information to that effect as well.”

Police recovered a machete at the scene of the crime which they believe is the murder weapon. A post mortem examination is scheduled to be conducted on both bodies sometime this week. We understand that Artherly was mentally unstable.